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User blog:M.J. Daniels/Night World
SPOILER ALERT! Unity! So if you don't know by now, I'm an avid Night World fan. As in totally obsessed with the series and trying to gather an all-powerful legion of like-minded fans to storm the reading world! OK so maybe that's too obsessed and a bit unhealthy, but I've got reason to. It's an L. J. Smith series! You know, the New York Times bestselling author of The Vampire Diaries and The Secret Circle, both of which became two hit TV series. If that's not reason enough to get started on reading Night World, then I don't know what will. If you're looking for certain aspects of the series that might intrigue you, I suggest you continue reading this blog. Please note that there may be spoilers that will pop up now and then, but I'll do my best to keep them down to a minimum. Series Overview Could you imagine my reaction when I discovered that Night World was originally published in THE LATE 90's? The first book, Secret Vampire, was released in 1996. I was born in 1999, and I only discovered the series around September/October last year. Now that's some good quality writing there that you don't even notice the time period. Night World could easily be set in 2014 and no one would notice (well except if you're one of those people that pick up on the littlest details). So the lowdown of the series is that vampires, witches, shapeshifters, and werewolves all make up this society known as the "Night World", and it has been secretly existing within the human world for millennia. Due to the humans' treatment of Night People in the past (the witch hunts for example), there are two cardinal rules that are enforced in the Night World: 1) Never telling humans about the Night World, and 2) Never falling in love with humans. The punishment for breaking any of them is DEATH. *dun dun DUN!!!* Now the main theme that connects each of the stories is when the laws of the Night World are broken. Each of the books are different and feature a different protagonist, and it chronicles the danger that each of them face when they break the rules. Because all of the books are standalone, the first four or five books don't have to be read in any particular order, but I highly suggest you do because you'll notice a thread connecting each of the books that build up to an awesome storyline that I'm sure is entertaining. Why You SHOULD Read Night World? Still not convinced to start reading Night World yet? C'mon, I'm sure you'll be dying to get your hands on it after I tell you what makes this series definitely a MUST-READ. Supernatural Romance and Action I've never been much a fan of the supernatural drama genre *cough Twilight cough*, but seriously after reading Night World, my opinion has changed. L. J. Smith has wrote a perfect combination of supernatural romance and action that I'm sure Twiharders and other supernatural-obsessed readers (and watchers) would appreciate. C'mon, what gets better than a sexy half-vampire, half-human vampire hunter battling vampires and werewolves on a train (OK, it's at a train station but you get the point). Contrary to many supernatural YA books of today, the romance is actually important to the plot. The very essence of the series in fact. For one, the couples paired together actually makes sense and is one of the signs in the series that something big is going on in the Night World, and later on, the entire world. One thing that almost didn't make me want to read Night World *shudders* was the summaries. DON'T BE FOOLED BY THEM. Trust me, the story is better than what the summaries tell you. Characters Jez.jpg|Jez Redfern of Huntress Keller.jpg|Raksha Keller of Witchlight What if I told you that the protagonists actually have personality and back-bone? I know right, it was a shock to me as well. One thing that you gotta give L. J. Smith credit for is her talent at characterization. This is a skill that (in my opinion) most authors lack today, especially YA authors (with exceptions of course). Night World has such a variety of characters that you're bound to find someone just like you in there! Although, on the downside, every character is INHUMANLY ATTRACTIVE so for some us (like myself), it will take A LOT just to look like them. The females of the series are very much capable and independent thinkers, so all you feminist readers out there don't have to yell at them to, and I quote, “grow a pair” (remember this isn't Bella Swan we're talking about). It's actually quite refreshing to see a new girl as the lead in each book, that is if you like variety. Although, as a guy, it's a bit weird reading through the girls' perspective sometimes, especially when it comes to the romantic parts with the male characters. Which brings us to the guys. Although they mostly play supporting roles, they're just as important. I mean, without the guys, there wouldn't be a Night World would there? Like the girls, they vary amongst each other. I must say, however, that the human males are not as "glamored" as the supernatural ones, which is quite a letdown. They are mostly overshadowed by their more supernatural, female counterparts, which in my opinion, is because of their lack of characterization. The antagonists are debatable. A supernatural story is only as good as its villains, and the Night World villains aren't exactly "perfect". Although its a standalone series, I believe that each antagonist's actions should resonate, but it seems as if they are just written for the book, killed off and their jobs are done. But I must add, the villains do their "jobs" quite well in the books they appear in. In a nutshell, the Night World characters are just right. Not perfect, but not bland either. Storyline For the most part, I don't enjoy reading standalone book series, because most of the time the storylines and characters become muddled and the author seems to contradict themselves with plot details. I'm not saying Night World is perfect; there are a few errors that occasionally show up, but not ones that mess up your understanding. What I enjoy about this series is that each book has its own story to tell, and also adds to the main storyline at the same time. You can pick any book out of the Night World series and read it for fun without having to have read the other installments, which is something I'm quite fond of doing. Luckily, however, I found and read the books in their correct order, or else I might not have become obsessed with them. Lore and Mythology I saved the best for last. Let's face it: a book MUST be good as its mythology, especially ones in the supernatural genre. This is one of the reasons that Night World appeals to me; it has such rich and versatile lore that's fascinating. Rarely do you find books that has a balance of engaging storyline, interesting characters, and well-developed mythology. Furthermore, I believe in authors creating their own fictional worlds and rules, but please keep it "down-to-earth". Over-the-top mythology bothers me, because I'm one of those people that try to imagine how it would fit into the scientific world. Not that I try to find an explanation for everything, but if your established canon contradicts everything that science has proven, then its such a turn-off. Luckily Night World doesn't have overdramatic lore. It is simple, yet nicely original in a way no other author can possibly create. Perfect for a book series, especially one in the supernatural genre. Conclusion To put it simple, what I'm trying to say is that Night World is an amazing series and you're an idiot if you're not gonna read it after reading this blog. C'mon guys, we need to build our loyal army to storm the reading world already. Not all of us are immortal vampires you know. So if you're interested in trying out the series, here are links to sites where you can buy them online: Night World 01.jpg|Night World No. 1: Secret Vampire, Daughters of Darkness Night World 02.jpg|Night World No. 2: Dark Angel, The Chosen, Soulmate Night World 03.jpg|Night World No. 3: Huntress, Black Dawn, Witchlight The Ultimate Fan Guide.jpg|Night World: The Ultimate Fan Guide See Also *Night World Wiki, the collaborative encyclopedia on the Night World series *L. J. Smith's Official Website for short stories on the Night World series